Landers spoil Cheetahs’ party
28 Apr 2012
GARETH DUNCAN watched the Cheetahs relinquish a 30-9 second-half lead in a 36-33 defeat to the Highlanders in Bloemfontein.
This match will be remembered as one of the most unlikely comeback wins in Super Rugby history. The Cheetahs have only themselves to blame after a shocking defensive performance during the final quarter. To concede 27 points during the closing stages of a game is embarrassing, especially after all the hard work done earlier on.
The Cheetahs held an all-round ascendancy against the ill-disciplined Otago team, and rightfully led 23-9 at the break and 30-9 shortly after the half-time restart. However, the Highlanders capitalised on the Cheetahs’ poor defensive showing midway through the second stanza as they ran in three converted tries to level the scores at 30-30.
After the teams traded penalties, Sias Ebersohn had the opportunity to convert a potential match-winning three-pointer from right in front of the posts, but he buckled under pressure and pulled the easy attempt. The Highlanders then edged the win in the 79th minute thanks to a Chris Noakes penalty. Astonishing.
During the week, Naka Drotske explained that he had a specific game plan to down the highflying Highlanders. The visitors came with strong reputation for their breakdown domination on attack and defence, and it was essential for the Cheetahs to nullify this threat to achieve victory.
And the home team did so impressively in the first half.
They committed enough numbers at the breakdown to halt the Highlanders’ strong counter-rucking, which saw them thrive on attack with the quick ball won at the tackle points. The Kiwis’ ill-discipline also cost them as they were issued two yellow cards in the 25th and 32nd minute respectively. Andrew Hore was the first player sent to the sin bin for a breakdown transgression, while James Haskell received the second for a blatant punch. The English flanker was lucky not to receive a red card as referee Marius Jonker was advised by his assistant to do so.
With this advantage, the Cheetahs built strong attacking momentum and crossed the chalk twice through Coenie Oosthuizen and Andries Ferreira. But it was Johan Goosen who was the main influence during the Cheetahs’ charge.
The 19-year-old flyhalf scored a haul of 18 points – kicking 13 in the first half (via three penalties and two conversions), before sprinting 65m down the touchline in the second stanza and beating two covering defenders to dive in at the corner. This gave the Cheetahs their 25-point buffer. In addition to his impressive spearheading of the backline and solid defensive display, he didn’t miss one goal attempt.
Unfortunately for the men from Bloemfontein, Goosen hurt his shoulder during the act of scoring and he was replaced by Ebersohn. And with Goosen’s early departure, came the Cheetahs’ downfall.
The hosts stifled on attack and their resolve crumbled on defence. This allowed the Highlanders to cut the deficit thanks to tries from halfback replacements Noakes and Jimmy Cowan, who completed a brace.
The Cheetahs still had the opportunity to close out the win, but they failed as Ebersohn missed his easiest goal attempt – handing the Highlanders their seventh win of the season.
385 Comments
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28 Apr 2012, 19:15 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-193:
i dont think u get what i’m saying boettiiie, which is that your sharks got planted by a nz team in their own backyard just last week and here u are running around like bully bunting talk kak like a champ, walk the walk or shut it.
28 Apr 2012, 19:15 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-197:
That is shocking!!
28 Apr 2012, 19:18 pm
And oupa gets a card
28 Apr 2012, 19:20 pm
Digby Ioane just returned this weekend from a five-game suspension for a dangerous tackle. What Haskell did was far worse. He deserves a longer ban than that.
28 Apr 2012, 19:20 pm
Wow Noakes big match temperament
28 Apr 2012, 19:20 pm
What’s the consistency going to be? What did du Plessis get for a right hand to the face of Karl Lowe?
28 Apr 2012, 19:26 pm
@cab(cab)-180:
Cab, be fair. The Brumbies are only third because they’re the leading Oz side. On points they’re a lot lower.
@Bloues(Grootdrink)-199:
I understand English is your second language, but the opposite of win is LOSE, not loose.
28 Apr 2012, 19:27 pm
What a game! This Goosen is the real deal. When he left the field all folded like a pack of cards. I’m sure Mr Ebersohn will have sleepless nights…
Well done Landers – a sign of a great team to come back from behind and snatch a victory from near defeat.
28 Apr 2012, 19:28 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-203:
Who is Oupa?
28 Apr 2012, 19:29 pm
@cab(cab)-201: Cab you must be on the sous. What the fook have the Sharks got to do with the Cheetahs losing to the Highlanders from 30-9 up? Vertel my asseblief… connect the dots please as I see no connection.
28 Apr 2012, 19:29 pm
@kaksioek(kaksioek)-204: are you serious?pretty hard to breack a neck with a punch.
28 Apr 2012, 19:30 pm
Muller
Pienaar
Oupa Terblanche
Wannenburg
Jeez Ulster are a team of SA hasbeens.
28 Apr 2012, 19:30 pm
Aha Oupa Terblanche.
28 Apr 2012, 19:31 pm
Is this the best of European rugby?
28 Apr 2012, 19:31 pm
@dermie(dermie)-211: Tackles are a legal part of the game of rugby. Punches are not. Ioane’s tackle was fairly innocuous.
28 Apr 2012, 19:31 pm
had to apologise to the missus after beating her up at half time,all’s good the ‘landers got up.
28 Apr 2012, 19:32 pm
@David(David)-207:
oh right – mums the word – looking to catchy fishie of old siener van poggenpool
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-210:
yessus i dunno wtf they taught u at barista college, but logic aint your strong point.
28 Apr 2012, 19:32 pm
and Robbie Diack (remember him?) on the Ulster bench.
28 Apr 2012, 19:33 pm
Ag spooner stop complaining
Their crowd is bigger
28 Apr 2012, 19:33 pm
@kaksioek(kaksioek)-215: dropping people on their head isn’t legal,it’s dangerous.
28 Apr 2012, 19:33 pm
The Cheaters still play entertaining rugby though. I am also impressed with the Landers skills. They are a good team.
28 Apr 2012, 19:35 pm
@cab(cab)-217: nah epic fail by you. No connection at all.
The issue at hand is: The Cheetahs roll over and play dead to the NZ/Aus teams but play like rabid tigers against the other SA teams.
Your point is: the Cheetahs may well beat the Sharks (why you singlehandedly isolate the Sharks in particular I have no clue…)
My point is: yes, the Cheetahs can beat the Sharks… kinda proves my point…
That’s the simple version for you…………
Now don’t make me call you Crab.
28 Apr 2012, 19:35 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-212:
Yeah, looks like the recent Sharks.
28 Apr 2012, 19:35 pm
@kaksioek(kaksioek)-215: i don’t know who he tapped,but he learnt a lesson don’t hold on to a player trying to break.
28 Apr 2012, 19:36 pm
SARU should save rugby from mediocrity – cull both the lions & lions. Stick with the 3 well-funded teams. I say 3 SA Superugby teams. Currie Cup only for the rest
28 Apr 2012, 19:37 pm
I provided the damning Cheetahs stats vs NZ/Aus teams but ja, keep banging on about the Sharks…..
28 Apr 2012, 19:37 pm
@dermie(dermie)-220: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1rYkDa03V8
Have your eyes tested.
28 Apr 2012, 19:37 pm
@viewer(viewer)-225:
Lions and Lions????
28 Apr 2012, 19:37 pm
@viewer(viewer)-225: SARU were lobbying for 6 teams.
28 Apr 2012, 19:38 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-222:
my point is this, you say cheetahs roll over for nz teams cos they got beaten at home, you are a sharks supporter whose team just got beaten at home by a nz team lost time the played – eta u must put da brain too work…
28 Apr 2012, 19:38 pm
@dermie(dermie)-224: Save it for your wife, tough guy.
28 Apr 2012, 19:38 pm
Anyway I have seen cab like a dog with a bone, going on until the early hours jousting with skopshyte. Sometimes their duels go on for a week. I don’t have the stomach to argue about pretty obvious stuff. I’ll leave the connecting of the dots to you cab, take care and enjoy the cabernet.
28 Apr 2012, 19:39 pm
@kaksioek(kaksioek)-227: yeah i know,just winding you up.
28 Apr 2012, 19:39 pm
not to sharp this one.
28 Apr 2012, 19:40 pm
@kaksioek(kaksioek)-231: and again
28 Apr 2012, 19:40 pm
@cab(cab)-217:
As you know I’m not a Jake fan, especially when he was the Bok coach, but I believe that coaches can grow and learn. I’ve never understood why we treat our national coaches like US Presidents who can’t run again once their first or second term is over. The loss of rugby IP is ridiculous.
28 Apr 2012, 19:42 pm
OK I’m officially bored
28 Apr 2012, 19:42 pm
@cab(cab)-230: what the fook are you talkin’ about Willis? You know as well as I do that the Sharks have a decent record against the NZ/Aus teams…… In fact the Stormers and the Sharks have the exact same record which is the best all time out of any SA team against foreign teams (60 wins).
As I said, your argument is illogical.
28 Apr 2012, 19:43 pm
Very illogical.
28 Apr 2012, 19:43 pm
Extremely illogical in fact.
28 Apr 2012, 19:44 pm
@David(David)-236:
he’s a good coach but i dont want him back after he offered his services for the BIL, regardless of what had been done to him, that was against the whole Bok tradition which he peddled to everone he was so in awe of, and then as soon as he was dropped wanted to coach a touring team against the Boks, im not keen. im not even into the bokke kak, but coaching the Boks should be a massive honour – no way must he come back.
28 Apr 2012, 19:44 pm
OK, now I am out.
Cab, take it away on your own boetie.
28 Apr 2012, 19:47 pm
u dont got it spooner, u dont get the bigger picture either, which is criticising other teams when yours is not so hot either and a long way off having the false rugby pedigree u believe they have – their are only 2 SA teams to have won a super rugby series The Cats (Lions/Cheetahs) and the Bulls. The Sharks have never won a Super rugby tournament, EVER.
28 Apr 2012, 19:49 pm
These Scotties are useless
28 Apr 2012, 19:49 pm
Gareth Duncan,its not just an Otago side,there’s actually more southlanders there,so please stop calling them otago,it makes me ill.
28 Apr 2012, 19:51 pm
Also outta here! Cheers all
28 Apr 2012, 19:52 pm
is anyone watching the H Cup? Worst rugby i’ve ever seen, the Lions would it, shocking
28 Apr 2012, 19:53 pm
Sias Ebersohn is simply not up to the high stringent level of game winner at S15 standard.. he is a tough little trier who on a good day has a pretty decent boot on him and a decent running flowing game.. but he AIN’T a Johan Goosen by a LONG SHOT.. even though some fundi’s earlier in the pre season rounds were trying to tell me he was as good if not better than Goosen..
So now that the real deal deliberations have been well and thoroughly tested and found OUT.. we are left to rue the fact that Goosen has seemed to be a little frail when it comes down to the hard tough rigors of international cut thrust rugby
SA do not have a better all round play maker / goal kicker general than Goosen.. yet his physical frailty is a most definite concern.. because he been down and out more often than is reasonably required in this competition..
Hopefully he gets up and recovers from this latest breakdown and builds some body muscle onto that lithe and rugby intuitive frame of his.
28 Apr 2012, 19:55 pm
The year was 1987 and it was a Sat afternoon …
We were the last great hope of a school desperate to win a match against the mighty Monnas and the u14c team had that chance with time up and a peanut infront of the posts to win it as time was up …
Score stayed 6 all …broken youngsters !
If the kicker of that day blogs here I just want ya to know …I forgive ya ..
28 Apr 2012, 19:56 pm
@cab(cab)-241:
I don’t want him back either, as I reckon he’s only good coaching youngsters who’re gratefull to be selected. I don’t think he has the ability to actually develop a team which allows the players to fully utilise their individual talents within a framework. I could be wrong though, and I’m watching the Brumbies with great interest, especially their attack structures.
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